


Secrets Revealed

by captain_sassy_socks



Series: Crossword - AU [3]
Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Abduction, Colonel Kawalsky, Crossword - AU, Ellie the dog, F/M, General Hammond - Freeform, Janet Fraiser - Freeform, Secrets, Stargate program
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:13:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21532765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_sassy_socks/pseuds/captain_sassy_socks
Summary: Jack witnesses Sam’s abduction and becomes entangled in her secrets.One of his own secrets gets revealed as well.Janet Fraiser, General Hammond, and Colonel Kawalsky make their first appearances.
Relationships: Samantha "Sam" Carter/Jack O'Neill
Series: Crossword - AU [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540798
Comments: 15
Kudos: 73





	Secrets Revealed

Laid-back, Jack leans against the side of his truck, hands deep in the pockets. Ellie rests next to him, rabbit safely secured between her paws. Together, they wait patiently in the late summer sun. Jack checks his watch. She should emerge any minute.

It has become their ritual on Saturday to first pick up Samantha from the gym, go for a late breakfast at their coffeehouse and afterward head to the dog park.

Seven weeks ago, he didn’t know, didn’t even dare to dream, that his life would take such a turn. That he would ever call a place ‘theirs’ instead of ‘his’. That he was given another chance at love and happiness.

Five weeks ago, she kissed him in the parking lot.

Five weeks ago, she promised to do him across and down. She kept that promise. One time, she even did him on the diagonal. He shouldn’t be surprised since Samantha seems to be a woman with many hidden talents. Their matching passion, playfulness, and her versatile tongue make their sex life all the more satisfying. To his own delight, he learned that she isn’t a screamer in bed but purrs like a cat when he hits all the right places.

He doesn’t mind at all.

Ever since their first date, they have tried to spend as much time together as possible. It presents a challenge in itself between her busy work schedule and his on-call duty during every second weekend. Once, an imprudent hiker who confused the paved roads of the city with the muddy mountain trails caused a park-wide search and rescue operation and cut their weekend short. Moreover, Samantha had to cancel a dinner date due to an emergency on the military base. He couldn’t get in touch with her for three full days. Since it is classified, she can’t elaborate. He has accepted this aspect of her life, and yet he still wonders what kind of work she is involved in. Deep space radar telemetry doesn’t sound dangerous or adventurous per se.

Ellie’s enthusiastic bark disrupts this train of thought. He looks across the parking lot and spots the source for her excitement. A lone figure clad in an amber V-neck shirt, baby blue sweatpants and white sneakers strides purposefully in his direction, sports bag casually slung over her shoulder.

Her magnificent smile hails him from a distance.

He pushes himself off the truck and takes a step into her direction. His heart beats faster with every foot Samantha closes the distance between them. He grins from ear to ear behind his sunglasses.

Ellie runs in circles, displaying a full body wag with her tail at mid-height.

Jack is able to relate.

All of a sudden, a white van appears. The rear door flies open, and three masked men jump out to grab Sam.

“Hey!” Alarmed Jack sprints over. Ellie dashes ahead with menacing howls and sinks her teeth into the calf of one of the attackers. The man cries out in pain. Meanwhile, Sam throws a skilled punch and knees one assailant into the guts. The man staggers back but stays on his feet. Jack pulls at the shoulders of the third attacker so that he has to loosen his grip on Sam’s waist.

Seemingly out of nowhere, a blue energy cloud engulfs Ellie. The dog wails for a split second before dropping lifeless to the ground.

“Wha-” A sharp electric shock travels through Jack’s body and sets all his nerve-endings on fire. The agonizing pain renders him immobile. A nanosecond later, darkness engulfs him.

Noise from around him penetrates Jack’s fuzzy brain. His eyelids feel heavy as lead, and he struggles in vain to open them.

“Sir, can you hear me?” An attentive and feminine voice is directed at him.

His mind feels as if it is packed with cotton, not able to grasp a coherent thought or string a combination of letters together that may form a word. He moans in response.

“Mr. O’Neill, please open your eyes for me.” Again, this persistent voice demands.

His body doesn’t feel like his own and certainly doesn’t comply. Opening his eyes seems to be a more strenuous task than climbing Mount Everest at the moment. He concentrates all efforts on this one task. Due to his sheer willpower, one eyelid flutters open. Immediately, he regrets the decision as the bright ceiling lighting above blinds him.

“Very good, now the second.” Encouraging and forceful. Who is the owner of this mysterious voice?

Little by little, the fog in his mind disappears. The events of the morning come rushing back to him.

Abruptly, his second eye flies open.

“Sam! Ellie! Please help!” he screams. His whole body trembles. “Sam!”

“Shh, please stay calm, sir!” A gentle hand pushes down on his shoulder.

The pressure increases his agitation. He shakes in the hospital bed, trying to flee from the memory.

“Sam! Where are you?” Tears spill from his eyes. “Please!”

A cold feeling travels through his veins. When it reaches his brain, a thick blanket wraps around his thoughts until they become intangible and subside. His world goes black again.

The next time, Jack wakes up, his mind is much clearer. He opens his eyes without much effort and takes in his surroundings. He is hooked up to some monitoring equipment, his left wrist is bandaged, and an intravenous catheter sticks out of the crook of his right arm.

The nurse next to his bed notes something down on his chart.

She greets him with a smile. “I’ll call Doctor Fraiser.” And disappears behind the curtain.

A wave of anxiety threatens to overwhelm him. His accelerated heartbeat is reflected in the beeping noise next to him.

Before he can contemplate his situation, the curtain around his bed opens, and a petite woman approaches him. She eyes the readings on the monitor carefully.

“My name is Doctor Fraiser,” she introduces herself and takes out a flashlight from her coat pocket. “How do you feel now, Mr. O’Neill?” she asks while she examines his eyes.

“Better if you wouldn’t make me go blind.”

“I see your sense of humor has returned.” She stares at him, unfazed, and writes down a note on his chart.

“Where am I? What happened to me?” Jack tries to make sense of his situation.

“You are in the infirmary on a military base. You have a light concussion and a sprained wrist.”

A short, precise answer. Still, it doesn’t explain what happened to him and Samantha this morning. The thought of his missing girlfriend gives way to despair. Panic flares up in his stomach. The monitor sounds a warning.

“Where is Sam? Is she okay?” he rushes the questions. His breathing becomes shallow and rapid. Anxiety rises up like bile at the back of his throat.

“Mr. O’Neill. Please calm down,” the doctor soothes him. She clasps his hand to establish a physical connection. “Inhale through your nose for four seconds, hold your breath for three seconds, and then exhale through your mouth for another four seconds.”

Jack focuses on her voice and follows her instructions. In and out. The air fills his lungs and starts to loosen his tense muscles. In and out. Her touch helps him to anchor himself in the here and now.

“You’re doing fine, Mr. O’Neill. Keep breathing.”

In and out. His heart rate slows down and returns to almost normal. The tightness in his chest ceases, and his stomach settles.

“Thank you, doctor,” Jack squeezes her hand in gratitude.

The doctor smiles, sympathetically. “General Hammond likes to talk to you. I’ll be back in a minute.” With that, she moves away and disappears behind the curtain.

Before his mind can go down the road of repeatedly replaying the events of the morning, two men arrive at his side. One is dressed in a blue uniform, the other in green BDU.

“My name is General Hammond,” the bald, burly man in blue announces. He indicates to his left side. “This is Colonel Kawalsky.”

“Where is Sam?” Jack doesn’t have time for pleasantries.

The General sighs, “We do not know the whereabouts of Major Carter at the moment. We hope you can help us. What do you remember?”

It does nothing to calm Jack’s frayed nerves if nobody knows where Samantha is.

He pinches the bridge of his nose and recalls the events from the morning, “I was waiting for Sam at the gym. Suddenly, a white van with three masked men appeared. I think there were three, it could be more. Ellie bit one of them in the-.

“Who is Ellie?” Colonel Kawalsky interrupts.

“My dog. Where is she?” The first signs of anxiety flicker through his body once again. In and out, Jack reminds himself.

“Your dog is fine and taken care of,” the General assures. “Please continue.”

It provides a little bit of comfort to know that at least, Ellie is alive and okay.

Jack directs his thoughts back to the topic on hand, “Ahm, injured the leg, they grabbed Sam. We fought. I felt an electric charge, and everything went black. Next thing I know, I wake up here.” He looks between the two men for any clues that help him understand his current predicament.

“Thank you, Mr. O’Neill. Your information is beneficial.” The General spins around and departs without further comment.

“Please, find Sam,” Jack pleads with the Colonel.

“We do everything we can to track down Major Carter’s assailants and bring her back alive. These bastards won’t get away with it.” The determination and anger in the Colonel’s voice surprise and reassure him. It reminds him that it’s the military and their endless resources these assholes have to deal with. Jack hopes that hell will rain down on the bastards.

Without anything to occupy his fiddling hands, Jack just stares at the ceiling and concentrates on his breathing to block out all dark thoughts. Breathe in four seconds, hold your breath for three seconds, breathe out four seconds. A mantra that lulls his brain and keeps the anxiety at bay.

He has to stay sane for his and Samantha’s sake.

_**UNSCHEDULED OFF-WORLD ACTIVATION** _

The blaring alarm klaxon snaps him out of his restless sleep. Lights flare up, and military personnel shuffles through the infirmary in a state of trained emergency preparedness.

As quickly as the alarm appeared, silence descends, and all lights in the infirmary are switched off.

Jack breathes out slowly to get his racing pulse under control. He wonders aloud, “What the fuck is going on here? Off-world activation? What kind of secrets do they keep around here?”

Not being able to return to sleep, he switches on his bedside lamp. His eyes land on the folded newspaper on his nightstand. It wasn’t there when he fell asleep. He is pretty sure. Curiously, he picks it up and notices that the opened page on top contains the crossword puzzle.

Underneath the crossword, he detects a line in elegant handwriting. _Ellie is okay and stays with me. Get some sleep, Jack._

Samantha. Is. Alive.

All his worries, fears, and sorrows rush from his body, replaced by an exuberance of relief and happiness.

Samantha is alive and safe.

He could embrace the whole world right now.

Samantha is alive and safe and somewhere here on base.

How does she expect him to go back to sleep when all he wants is to hold her in his arms and never ever let go again?

He clutches the newspaper against his chest and settles back into the pillow. A happy smile has taken over his face and love bubbles in his belly. Eventually, the exhaustion wins, and he drifts off to a dreamless sleep.

Next thing Jack knows, it is morning. He is rudely awoken by the nurse on duty and reminded that he is in the infirmary and not in a hotel. His visit to the toilet is accompanied by an airman who ensures that Jack doesn’t wander off or gets lost. Or tries to talk to any personnel on base. His breakfast is unimpressive. The coffee resembles a bland, brown-colored liquid; the oatmeal, however, is somehow edible.

Jack couldn’t be happier.

Samantha is alive and safe, and he hopes to envelop her in his arms any minute.

When Doctor Fraiser arrives, Jack is in the middle of filling up the empty fields in his crossword puzzle.

22 Across – great pain. The space of seven letters is available.

“I see you’re doing well, Mr. O’Neill. Any symptoms of headache, dizziness, or nausea?”

“Nope, all fine.”

The doctor takes out her flashlight and zeroes in on him. “Keep still!” She tests the reaction of each pupil.

Jack flinches and feels the desire to retort with a sarcastic comment. However, he refrains from doing so. Simply afraid, she will never release him from the infirmary or, even worse, prick him with her needles.

Once Doctor Fraiser is satisfied with the results of her examination, she states, “Looks like I can release you from the infirmary. A nurse will bring your clothes, and when you are dressed, General Hammond wants to talk to you. An airman will escort you.”

“Maybe a certain Major can help me getting dressed?” Jack jokes and flashes his most charming smile.

“Mr. O’Neill,” she declares in dead earnest, “This is a military base. On such, you will behave and follow the Code of Conduct for non-military personnel. You will keep your hands and other body parts to yourself. The same goes for unfunny jokes. Neither any of my nurses nor a certain Major will help you get dressed. Understood?”

At the same time, she removes Jack’s intravenous catheter with a bit more force than strictly necessary, presses a pad on the puncture, and fixes it with adhesive tape in place.

Jack’s face contorts in pain due to the rough treatment. He is reminded who is in charge here whether he likes it or not.

Eyebrows raised, she stares him down.

“Yes, Ma’am. Understood,” Jack caves in and acknowledges her authority. With a triumphant smile, the doctor leaves his bedside.

He writes down _FRAISER_ under 22 Across.

The airman enters the General’s office and announces their presence.

“Thank you. Dismissed.” The airman salutes and exits.

General Hammond indicates to the chair in front of his desk. “Mr. O’Neill, please take a seat.”

Jack’s feet move on their own as his attention shifts to the figure standing next to the General.

Samantha, alive and unharmed as far as he can judge.

His gaze lingers on her face as he gauges her emotional state. The tension in her body melts at his sight. Exhaustion is evident in the dark circles around her bloodshot eyes, which appear dull but shimmer with sympathy, gratitude, and something he cannot identify. The ghost of an alleviated smile tugs at her mouth. Silently, he conveys his feelings to her; relief, affection, happiness, and love. He has a whole conversation with her in the space between the door and the desk without needing to say a single word.

Years of military training and discipline radiate from her posture. Probably, the only reason that keeps Jack from doing something inappropriate audience be damned.

He takes the offered seat and focuses on the man opposite him. For a second, Jack sees the fleeting sign of a knowing smile on the General’s face before it’s gone, and the mask of authority is firmly back in place.

“Mr. O’Neill, before we proceed, I need you to sign this Non-Disclosure Agreement,” the General pushes the open folder over. No further explanation is given.

Puzzled and unsure, Jack’s eyes seek out Sam. A barely noticeable nod assures him that signing is the right thing to do. He picks up the pen and attaches his signature on the dotted line.

General Hammond closes the folder and turns toward Sam. “Major Carter, please explain to Mr. O’Neill the purpose of this military base.”

“Yes, sir.” She takes a step closer to Jack and clasps her hands in front of her. “Jack, what I'm about to tell you is classified under section 11-C-9 of the National Security Act.”

He squints in confusion but keeps silent.

“You're currently in a top secret military facility known as Stargate Command. In 1928, in Giza, Egypt, archaeologists uncovered an ancient device capable of instantaneous transportation to other planets by means of a sub-space wormhole.”

Jack has problems following her statement and processing the newly gained information. His brain is unable to cope with the suggestion of ‘ancient device’, ‘transportation to other planets’, and ‘sub-space wormhole’. It sounds like bad science fiction.

“No kidding?” he asks incredulously. His eyebrows try to ascend into his hairline.

Sam shakes her head.

Jack’s eyes dart between the General and the Major. Both look back at him in dead earnest. “That’s... not... what I expected.” The air rushes out of his lungs.

“We understand that it’s a lot to take in. However, we cannot disclose any details about any mission as it is a matter of national security,” General Hammond points out.

Still befuddled, Jack blurts, “Then, why tell me?”

“After the incident yesterday, we decided that it is in the best interest of all parties involved to bring you to our infirmary for a medical examination. Before you started to mention things to unauthorized personnel that may attract unnecessary attention to this program.”

Absently, Jack traces over the bandage on his wrist. He mulls over the General’s words. It makes sense, somehow. The abduction of a military officer in public and the blue energy burst could raise some unwanted questions.

“And Major Carter made a convincing argument for giving you an outline, especially after you witnessed the base alarm last night.”

Jack glances at Sam, who just tilts her head and shrugs.

He may never know what she told the General to convince him or the higher-ups. He supposes there is someone above General Hammond in the chain of command to make the final decision. If it is a matter of national security, an ordinary life like his is usually considered insignificant. Whatever her duties and responsibilities are within this program, she seems to be held in high regard and carries some weight around.

He is so endlessly proud of her.

Jack decides to force his luck. “Maybe, I can have a quick glimpse at your transportation device?” He is not above begging, although that might piss off a certain Major. “Please?”

General Hammond chuckles, “Major Carter, please show Mr. O’Neill the Stargate.”

Sam straightens and acknowledges the order, “Yes, sir.” With a wave of her hand, she indicates to the other door in the office. “Jack, please follow me this way.”

Delighted, Jack jumps up and trails behind Sam into the adjacent room. In front of him, a large window spans from side to side. Behind it in another separate area, a large, ring-shaped device with several different symbols on its surface stands erected and looms. It looks majestic and totally non-threatening. Stepping around the briefing table, he moves closer until he can press his face flat against the barrier of glass.

This is what the secrecy is all about. “So, this is it?” He has no clue how this thing works.

“Yep,” Sam beams with pride.

“How does it work?” He turns his upper body towards her.

“I try to put it in layman terms for you. The Stargate creates a stable, artificial wormhole between itself and another Stargate, allowing near-instantaneous travel from the dialing gate to the destination gate,” her hands carve through the air to illustrate her words. “Travel through a Stargate is strictly one-way. The symbols on the ring,” she points toward them, “are called glyphs and make up the gate address, which is unique to each Stargate. For, let’s say, a standard seven-chevron address, the first six glyphs represent points in space, forming three-dimensional coordinates. The seventh represents the point of origin, a glyph that is unique to each gate. You’re still with me?”

“Nope, you lost me after the wormhole thingy. And if that’s layman terms, I don’t want to know what your technobabble sounds like.”

“Technobabble?”

“That’s not what it’s called?” He leans against the window and raises one eyebrow.

“No,” Sam shakes her head in amusement, “But I like the word.”

“And how often do you travel through this Stargate?”

“Every other week,” she declares with honest humility.

“Wow. I have the coolest girlfriend in the whole galaxy. Or is it the universe?” Jack’s chest bursts with pride and admiration.

“Jack, please tone it down,” Sam pleads with him.

He knows she’s right. He should definitely hold in his horses. Wrong time, wrong place. Which brings his thoughts back to yesterday’s unpleasant events.

Jack takes a calming breath, takes a step towards her, and genuinely inquires, “About yesterday, what happened to you?”

Sam smiles apologetically but doesn’t answer.

“Classified. I get it. What are you allowed to tell me?”

“The threat has been eliminated.” At his skeptical look, she adds, “I am safe. Believe me.”

It is less than satisfying or reassuring, but obviously all the information she is allowed to share. He has to trust her words.

“What happened to me? I only remember an electric shock and hell of a pain before everything went black. You know, like thousands of fire ants bite you at the same time.”

“You were zatted,” Sam states.

His face draws a blank.

“A zat gun is a handheld energy weapon designed by… someone out there,” her thumb points to the Stargate. “It is easy to conceal and emits a translucent blue blast upon being fired. Its operation is unique compared to other weapons. One shot will incapacitate a victim and cause immense pain. A second shot will kill them.”

He nods, trying to comprehend what she just told him. “Basically, it’s an alien taser.”

Sam rolls her eyes, “Something like that.” She bows her head and exhales, the tension in her shoulders returns. When she looks up at him, her eyes are filled with regret. “I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”

He understands; the secrecy, the dangers, the lies.

Jack racks his brain to find the right words to make it perfectly clear that he accepts this part of her, of their relationship. That he won’t hold it against her. That he is proud of her achievements even if he can never fully comprehend the magnitude of her actions or what it costs her personally. That he will always support her in whatever capacity she needs him.

“Sam.” He grabs one of her hands. His thumb draws circles on the skin of her palm.

“Jack,” she warns him but doesn’t make any attempt to withdraw her hand.

He loosens his hold reluctantly. “I know, I know. Code of Conduct for non-military personnel.” He recognizes her questioning look, so he explains, “Your flashlight-obsessed doctor already gave me a fair summary. She’s quite a pain in the ass.”

“Yeah, that’s our lovely Janet.” Sam laughs, and it reaches her eyes for the first time since he saw her in the General’s office this morning.

“Sam.” He waits until he has her full attention. “Before all of this,” he waves to the round object behind the window, “I worried because I didn’t know. My brain came up with various scenarios to make sense of what part of deep space radar telemetry could be dangerous. Now, I worry for a whole lot of different reasons. But no matter what you do, I’ll always worry.” He pauses since he has some sort of an epiphany. The pieces fall into place and form a beautiful masterpiece. Something that has been missing from his existence for quite a long time. “I worry because I love you.”

From the beginning, he was drawn to her. He felt a special connection between them on that fateful day in the coffeehouse. Her smile, her intelligence, her confidence, and her astonishing good looks tugged at his heart and unlocked parts of him, he didn’t know were still alive. He knew immediately that Samantha would grace his life with a deeper meaning. Planning a future has become appealing and not dreadful anymore.

Judging by her perplexed expression, - the look of a deer caught in the headlights comes to his mind - he realizes that a military base might not be the best place for a love declaration of any kind. Especially not when these three precious words are uttered for the first time. He should have told her when it was just the two of them. Definitely days ago, before this crazy abduction turned his world upside down.

She looks adorably cute, being at a loss of words. Right now, he just wants to hug her, kiss her, and - hell, the briefing room table looks really inviting - make love to her.

Damn, these stupid regulations for non-military personnel.

“You… you love me?” Her voice climbs an octave higher than usual.

“Yeah, I love you.” His eyes follow the path of the single tear that trails down her cheek. His fingers itch to wipe it away. “Although I realize now that I should have told you in a more private setting.”

Sam remains frozen to her spot. He can literally see the wheels turning in her head as her eyes stare into space.

“Sam?” No reaction. “Sam? You are starting to worry me.”

“You love me.” A plain statement, not a question. With the sleeve of her military shirt, she eradicates any evidence of that lonely tear. Her lips curl upwards and transform into the brightest smile that has ever kissed his soul. It is a miracle that he doesn’t spontaneously self-combust at that moment.

“I love you, too.”

Yep, his whole being goes up in flame.

“And, Ellie.”

He has totally forgotten about his dog.

“Where is she? Can I see her?” Concern creeps back into his features.

“I kept her with me in my quarters. I’ll show you the way.” Sam gestures to the door across the room. “Shall we?”

Jack invades her personal space and teases, “Oh, I get to see your quarters. Are you sure you can’t spare… let’s say 20 minutes of your precious time?” A smug grin stretches over his face. “No-one needs to know,” he adds in a hushed voice.

Sam’s spine straightens, and she fixes him with a serious, unimpressed glare. The Major has taken over.

“If you don’t know how to behave, Jack, be reminded that I have dozens of fascinating options at my disposal to inflict excruciating pain upon you.” She waits a moment to emphasize her next words, “And no-one will ever know.” Her chin juts forward, daring him to challenge her.

Slightly intimidated, he retreats and holds his hands up in surrender. Once again, he is reminded that he is dating a capable soldier, a brilliant scientist, and a wonderful woman. To piss off any part of her is unwise, to provoke the soldier in her would be the most foolish idea he has ever come up with. “Got it. Best behavior. Scout’s honor.”

Her expression softens. “Let’s go and put Ellie out of her misery. She misses you.”

He nods, visibly relieved, and motions to her to lead the way.

Side by side, they walk across the room, sneaking a cautious peek at each other every once in a while. Their shoulders unintentionally bump every few feet in a totally inconspicuous way.

“My very own space hero,” he mumbles under his breath, full of admiration.

“You are aware that you can’t brag about it to anyone,” she reminds him as they turn around the corner into the corridor.

“Nuts!”

**Author's Note:**

> This instalment is inspired by Season 05 ep. 11 Desperate Measures and Season 07 ep. 15 Chimera.
> 
> Now, Jack knows Sam's secret and, finally, some other members of the Stargate program enter his life.
> 
> Gonna be interesting to explore that road.


End file.
